Bo Bichette’s three-year deal extension helps the Blue Jays avoid arbitration.
Star shortstop Bo Bichette and the Toronto Blue Jays have reached an agreement on a multi-year contract.
Bo Bichette, a shortstop for the Toronto Blue Jays, will not be playing in arbitration after all.
In order to avoid arbitration, Bichette, whose hearing was purportedly scheduled for Thursday, signed a three-year contract with the team on Tuesday. According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the $33.6 million deal has room to grow to a maximum of $40.65 million.
The Blue Jays and Bichette traded compensation numbers last month after failing to come to an agreement by the deadline. The organization offered $5 million, while the 2021 All-Star filing was valued at $7.5 million. That $2.5 million difference was the biggest MLB-wide, shared by Kyle Tucker of Houston.
The Blue Jays have subsequently agreed to a multi-year contract with their starting shortstop, which is the only way to bypass arbitration before going to a third-party hearing once both sides have exchanged financials.
Shortly after acquiring Matt Chapman in the spring of last year, Toronto followed a similar path, purchasing his remaining two arbitration years with a $25 million deal that extends through 2023. After this season, the 29-year-old can become a free agent.
Bichette is still entitled to hit the open market following the 2025 season; thus, his new contract has no bearing on when he will become a free agent. However, the fact that both parties were able to agree on a temporary extension may indicate that a longer one will be forthcoming.
However, Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. currently have less than three years until they become free agents. Guerrero will earn $14.5 million in his second season as an ARB player after avoiding arbitration earlier this winter.
Since joining the majors in 2019, Bichette has been an essential part of Toronto’s core, playing in 393 games and making 1,727 plate appearances. He owns a career.297/.340/.491 slash line, a 127 wRC+, and has been worth 11.8 fWAR.
The termination of Bo Bichette’s deal has disappointed fans and analysts alike. While the exact reasons behind the decision are still emerging, several factors could have contributed to the deal’s collapse. These might include contractual disagreements, physical health concerns, financial implications, or unforeseen complications during negotiations.
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